Badger rescued from swimming pool – Hailsham, East Sussex

A badger was left confused and scared after falling into an empty swimming pool at a farm near Hailsham today (28th April). Rescuers from East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (WRAS) attended on site to find the badger had made itself at home in some vegetation at the corner of the empty swimming pool.

Owner Mr Horton and his wife discovered the badger yesterday (Wednesday 27th April) and placed a piece of wood into the pool in the hope the badger might climb out but unfortunately the badger was still present this morning. Rescuer co-ordinator Trevor Weeks accompanied by volunteer Kathy Martyn and Neil Harvey attended on site to help rescue the badger.

"Badger are never easy to catch at the best of times and this location was not easy, especially the nettles!" said Trevor Weeks.

Volunteer Neil Harvey approached from one angle and Trevor from the other and using a catch net and a dog grasper they were able to corner the badger in the vegetation, before lifting him into a waiting badger cage.

After an examination Trevor said "The badger is in good condition and certainly no broken bones or wounds."

The badger was taken to East Sussex WRAS’s Casualty Care Centre at Whitesmith where it was bedded down for the day and released back at the farm late that evening (Thurs 28th).

"The poor little thing must have been really frightened and worried, you can see where it had been trying to get out and just couldn’t get up the sides of the swimming pool which were over 6ft deep in places. I hope that when we release him he will avoid the swimming pool in future and that he will have learnt from his mistake" added Trevor.

Badgers being territorial have to be released back at the location where there were found.

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